Puerto Rico - Solar and Wind Contractor Certification

In October 2008, the Energy Affairs Administration (EAA) of Puerto Rico adopted regulations for the certification of photovoltaic (PV) systems and installers in response to the passing of Act No. 248, which required that PV systems be certified and installed by certified installers in order to be eligible for the newly established tax credits (that have since been repealed). With the passing of this regulation, only certified installers may install photovoltaic (PV) systems in Puerto Rico. In January 2010, additional regulations were passed that required wind turbine installers to be certified in order to install wind systems as well.

SOLAR
In order to become an EAA-Certified PV Installer, applicants must:

• Be a licensed professional electrician or electrical engineer (with proper, up-to-date credentials); AND
• Provide proof that he/she has taken and passed at least 30 hours of specified PV training in Puerto Rico (on topics such as Puerto Rican norms regulating sale and installation of PV, basic concepts of electricity applicable to PV, fundamentals and application of solar energy, PV installation, among others) EAA may publish a list of approved courses in the future; OR
• Provide proof that he/she has passed the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) exam, even without specified training, plus 4 hours of training on applicable Puerto Rican laws, regulations, and codes; OR
• Provide proof that he/she has taken and passed at least 30 hours of specified PV training in the United States, plus 4 hours of training on applicable Puerto Rican laws, regulations, and codes.

The EAA will review and make a determination (approved and certified, additional information required, or denied) of the application within 30 days. Certification is good for four (4) years and can be renewed as long as the installer completes three hours of continuing education on PV panels and systems.


WIND
In order to become an EAA-Certified Wind Turbine Installer, applicants must:

• Be a licensed electrical engineer (with proper, up-to-date credentials); AND
• Provide proof that he/she has taken and passed at least 20 hours of specified wind training in Puerto Rico (on topics such as Puerto Rican norms regulating zoning, wind turbine construction, tower construction and installation, how to estimate generation and siting, basic concepts of electricity applicable to wind, fundamentals and application of wind energy, installation, among others)--EAA may publish a list of approved courses in the future.

Certification is good for four (4) years.  

The Puerto Rico Green Energy Incentives "Resources & Forms" web page posts the lists of certified installers.